A climber who had to be airlifted due to altitude sickness near the peak of Mount Fuji in Japan was rescued for a second time just four days later after going back to retrieve his cell phone, authorities revealed on Monday.
The climber, a 27-year-old Chinese student residing in Japan whose identity was not disclosed, placed an emergency call on April 22 upon experiencing symptoms of altitude sickness, as reported by the Shizuoka prefectural police. Additionally, his climbing irons had been damaged during the incident.
The man was subsequently airlifted from the mountain.
The mountain’s hiking trails are officially open only from July to early September, although there is no penalty for hiking off-season. (Getty Images)
The 12,388-foot-high mountain was designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 2013. The mountain used to be a place of pilgrimage and is now increasingly popular among hikers.
Last year, local authorities attempted to control overcrowding and risks from rushed overnight climbing along rocky slopes to view the sunrise by introducing an entry fee and cap on the number of people who can enter the most popular trail. Similar rules will be introduced on other main trails this year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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